Author
Topic: "Demon Winter" (Read 64284 times)

Gerrard shambles in toward Lyrid and Seraph, breaking through the smoke in time to see the rat-man's display of agility and Aden's self-less sacrifice. Knowing that if one of the five falls, they will all fall, he rushes the were-king, reaching out with his massive hands to crush the life from the hideous beast...

After seeing his newest creation place herself between him and his prey, Lyrid snarls in anger. Lyrid shoots down to land right in front of Aden and with a quick back hand sends her flying into a nearby thorn bush. Now, face to face with Seraph, Lyrid moves in to finish him. The werewolf lifts his right hand to slash Seraph and grunts in surprise. Something had his hand in an iron grip. Turning quickly, Lyrid swung his free hand, which was also caught. Lyrid now finds himself, face to face with a hulking mutated human. "What strength" Lyrid thought. With a mighty effort, Lyrid jumps up and plants both of his feet into Gerrard's chest before the giant could squeeze the werewolf in. The power of the blow knocks both combatants to their backs. Lyrid is quick to scramble to his feet and bounds quickly away from the group. At a safe distance Lyrid turns and faces off against the group. His advantage lost, he howls in anger once again. Turning, he sees Tsurin still on his knees in rapture. Tsurin is still lost in the charm of the staff's power. Lyrid decides he isn't going to be totally robbed this day. With surge of speed, he bounds over to the helpless climate mage, and brings a massive hand down to club Tsurin on the back of his neck. The group can only watch in horror at what is about to transpire. And then, to everyones shock, the hand stops in mid strike. Lyrid is overtaken by a look of confusion. And then as if he had appeared from nowhere, a small old gnomish man is standing next to Lyrid smiling. Bear looks down at his side and is mystified to see the gnome gone. "I didn't even see him mo...." Bear begins to say. The gnome continues to smile at Lyrid. "Begone, your revenge is best gained through the slaughter of the yettis...not these mortals....your day at revenge will come...they can't control you forever Lyrid.." the gnome finished. Lyrid, growled in response and tried to hit Tsurin once again. His second attempt met with the same result. Again the gnome smiled and waved his hand. To everyones surprise, Lyrid began to lose substance and then faded away all together. The gnome, satisfied with is work, turned slowly towards the group and simply said, "Not everyone in this part of the world wishes to see you fail guardian....good luck...and be swift...Bizmak still seeks his vengance...the yettis come!" after the last is stated, the gnome fades from existance and another roar can be heard from nearby yettis. Obviously, something had slowed them down or confused them or they would have made it to this campsite long ago. The last rays of the sun's light begin to fade as if taking a cue from the departing gnome. Bear turns to the group and states, "We best continue to travel and put some distance between ourselves and the patrol hunting us. I know everyone is in need of rest, but to stop now would be suicidal. We must move on. Gerrard, do you have any vitality potions...something to give us all the much needed strenght to continue?" and then Bear once again notices Tree stalking up to the bush Aden had been knocked into. Tree's hammer was raised for a strike. "Halt! The silver werewolf is Aden. Do not attack her. You all saw that she saved Seraph. Her mind is still her own...even if her body has been tainted. No one is to harm her, is that clear!" Bear waits for the groups reply. OOC: Aden was not injured from the blow she sustained from Lyrid. Tsurin seems to shake the the images from his head and stands with his newly acquired staff helf in his left hand. Enjoy!

Logged

"How is it that you claim me to be an assassin..(paused in thought)....have I killed you before?"\

Aden crept up from the bush and managed a toothy smile at bear. Realizing that it was not very pleasant looking she quickly abated. She went over and pulled her cloak from the bitter snow, she took it and draped it around her massive shoulders. She knew that she did not need a cloak now but it was a gift from her father and she felt safer with it by her. She chanced a glance behind her. Then she lowered her head and stepped out of the mouth of the cave. She glanced uneasily at Bear, " Do we know where we are let us not forget out mission we need to find our path once again" She coughed in her unease, "Tsurin will you please use your gift to hide our markings in the snow?

OOC: OK. Just for future reference (or maybe i am just mistaken) a bolo is essentially two weights connected together by a rope, chain, or anything like that. It does not cause direct damage. It is thrown into a spin and it wraps around whatever it hits. Specifically, a targets legs, causing the target to trip and fall, and have to spend time to break or untangle the bolo (unless i am thinking of another weapon, in which case please tell me its name). Seraph's bolo is made of two iron weights connected by some thin steel rope. I am just going to pretend that i threw some other sharp weapon at him, like a dagger or something. No big deal.

IC: Seraph eyed Aden for a few seconds, no longer sure if she was to be trusted. He pulled out a vial of silver extract and poured a small amount into an empty vial. He cautiously takes it to Aden and speaks quietly.

"Aden, this may yet cure you in your earliest stages, but i do not actually know, and if i am wrong... "He does not finish the thought."Take this at your own risk." He finished as he offers her the quarter-filled vial.

Seraph places a dart-knife into his vial of silver extract which he places in his bandoilier for quick use. (A dart-knife is a knife that can fit into his dart bandolier so that he can pull it out instantly, already poisoned and ready for use. It is only useful for defense and is designed to be held in front of himself to poison a charging attacker. It does on more damage than a sharp letter opener, but can still be used like a knife.)

Instead of getting onto the sled like normal, Seraph tests out his new strength, not to mention his sword. He jumps along with the group, rebounding off of trees and going into rolls. He Starts to test just how much farther he can throw a dart, and how to adjust his aim at once unavailable distances (keep in mind that just because he is stronger does not mean that he has to use all of it so he should be able to throw like normal, and being well trained in marksmanship, he should be able to pick it up quickly.) He uses the time to slash at tree branches and test the mettle of his blade. He attempts to turn the fire on and off. To access the images he had seen earlier. And to overall test his boundaries.

As he did so, he wished that that gnome would tell him more about his own weapon. He could not ask bear, and he doubted that Tsurin would know. He made especially sure not to get to near to Bear

OOC: Um, i need to know what i am now capable of. How high can i jump? How far can I throw a dart within an inch of the target (i could hit on the mark at about 20 ft. before). Three inches? How well does my rapier cut through things. Can i talk to it? Can i accesss images. Can i find out where i am by accessing those images. Can i turn the flame on or off. Can i sheath it like a rusty knife again, or do i need to make a new case to sheath it in? Can i make it look like a rusty dagger without sheathing it?Can I richochet off of trees without touching the ground. How far foreward can I jump? How high can i jump while landing without sound?!! How far foreward?!! Does the sword make a sound when i swing it?? ect... I need to know what i am now capable of.

Gerrard lumbers over to the group, slightly lurching. As he nears, they can see that his right leg is now several inches longer than his left. He has a horrible limp, but he still moves rapidly. His horribly disfigured, but incredibly muscular body should unnerve the members of the small company, but he still speaks, though with a much deeper voice that doesn't sound like Gerrard at all.

"I have a few small potions to help fend off sleep and restore fatigue, but that's the closest I've got."

Gerrard grabs his coat from where he left it and gathers with everyone else to leave after handing out the rejuvenation potions. A few minutes after they leave, he starts to grunt and yell in a decidedly inhuman voice. With a number of loud snapping and crunching sounds, he reverts back to his original form. He is soaked with sweat and looks exhausted, but he foreces himself to keep going after nodding to the others to show that he's ok...

Though Aden had had an excitable night she was not fatigued, but instead felt incredibly strong. She carefully considered the vile that Seraph had given her. A cure could she be cured? She looks back at her comrades... she took a deep breath and thought What about the risks. I cannot afford to be selfish now if I take the vile and it reacts in a negative way then were will that leave the group? No, the risks are too great. We must have five...

Tsurin appeared, abruptly, to snap out of his reverie, and he found himself - much to his confusion - kneeling on the snowy ground, peering downwards. He remembered only sections of what had transpired; the transformation of Aden; the beastly form of gerrard; the rat-man returning to them; the wolf-lord taking a swipe at him, and that peculiar gnome. masking much of this was the images of granduer that had clouded his mind. Images of great power, granted to him by a peculiar staff... The Staff! Yes, there it was, held tightly in his left hand. A shiver slid through his spine - though whether a shiver of fear or excitement was lost on him. It took him a few more moments to realise where he was completely. Everyone was safe, it appeared - that hulking wolf-like creature was Aden, and the huge abbheration of a man must be Gerrard. Finally, he rose to his feet, his gaze still plastered upon the crystal orb atop his new staff. He set his mind forth, probing the item delicately with his senses in an attempt to scry out as many of its uses as possible. Finally, he registered what Aden had asked - for him to clear the signs of the groups bieng here. He nodded faintly, "Yes..."

Whilst setting out with his task of clearing all signs of them bieng in the area, Tsurin continued his studying of the staff. It wasnt until about halfway through his task that he realised he had done NOTHING to aid his comrades in that battle - spending his entire time peering at a staff. His lips curled into a disapproving smile for himself, and he exhaled in a faint sigh - how selfish of him, peering at a length of wood and a crystal ball whilst his allies were battling for their lives just beside him.

[OOC]Well, Im back, obviously. I didnt manage to go through all of the posts completely, so if I said something which shouldnt have been said, please tell me and ill edit accordingly.

Hopefully I should be back from now on Thanks for minding my character[/OOC]

Aden peered sadly at Tsurin understanding the viod that now took shape in her life. She hunched her what now seemed like a tiny cloak about her.

"Again we march but do we know which direction we are to take let un not forget our destination, we need to continur to make our way up the mountain."

She looked at no one as she said this almost afriad to meet their gaze... afriad that she would see fear instead of freindship. She was no longer the elvin princess that she had been at the begining of this journey... with this curse she could never return home... as if she wanted to. She had left for a reason and she didn't know if she could stand to return home. Once she could hold her head up high in her city, just how she was gift and all, but after the well... she couldn't bare to return. Just thinking about it made her blood boil out of sympathy and anger at herself.

"Possitive thoughts, I need to think possitive thoughts. The mountian will be easier to climb like this. You nolonger have to worry about being cold." Aden quietly tried to mumble things that would benifit her that would help calm her down. She lifted her muzzlel into the thick chilled wind. "we need to go and we need to go now."

Tsurin nodded faintly in satisfaction, studying his job of the area - even the most skilled of trackers would be very hardpressed to notice ANYTHING out of the ordinary here, and even the best would not be able to discern which way the group went after Tsurin covers the tracks they would make. "Our Lupine friend is right. The enemy will probably be close, and staying here would do us no good either way." Of course - no trace of fear or scorn was directed to Aden. Tsurin feared little, and often found things out of the ordinary more intriguing than frightening. He took a few seconds to peer over the small party, however, chuckling softly behind his breath - an abbheration of a human, a werewolf, a ratman, a hulking, axe wielding man and his mute friend. And, of course, a selfish mage. Quite an odd collection of people. Were any gods watching them now, they must be rolling in fits of laughter. Tsurin subconsciously raised his left hand to stroke the smooth crystal on the top of his newly aquired staff.

OOC:Um honestly i would love to post, but, the problem is that i still have no idea what i am capable of, and am thus unable to choose which course of action to use. Please, Warlock, make sure to read the questions on my last post and get back to me on that as i am essentially disabled until that time.

Also, just a pseudo-reality check for everybody, It has in fact been some time since anybody has had any rest, and only two or three hours of rest at that. People can still function on a few hours of sleep quite effectively, however the smaller, less practiced tasks or observations that each character would use, would come less quickly and take more time. In the heat of battle, the adrenaline rush would more than compensate for that of course, but in less stressful times, the parties sleep deprived state might be a lot more evident. Also, anybody who sits down or rests would probably find it much harder to get going again. I believe that Tsurin is the only one who has had no sleep, followed by the rest of the party, followed by seraph who caught some sleep while travelling, and last by Aden (assuming that her lycanthropic status would counter the effect). If that is wrong, well, whatever. I am just trying to keep tabs here and remind everybody that They aren't at peak capacity.

Oh and, nobody has had anything to eat for some time, and quite possibly nothing to drink either (although it could be assumed that everybody was drinking from their' canteens as they travelled). So that would also take its toll.

Thats everything i think. And Warlock, make sure to get back to me on that stuff.

[OOC] Agreed completely, Seraph - I had not completely forgotten about the lack of sleep and large amount of exhertion that has gone into this quest so far. For Tsurins behalf, I can safely say he has gotten a burst of excitement, and thus energy, at finding this magnificent staff. That coupled with the fact that danger is not far away and probably closing in rapidly, could keep him going for another while. Additionally, he is used to such weather and terrain, so it isnt as tiring for him to slug around in this area, and he is fairly used to long hours of effort. Even still, he's going to feel pretty d**ned sore when he wakes up after his first sleep - probably worse off than he will feel before his sleep.

I can guess that Adens transformation into a werewolf will have given her inhuman stamina and endurance, at least until she turns back into human, where she'll probably no doubt feel the weight ten-fold. The same may hold true for the Alchemists monstrous form Bear and Tree would be feeling the weight a bit, too.

Now, about Warlocks absence - I have PMed him, explaining that if he doesnt return by Sunday the 22nd (Australian time ), I, or someone else, will take temporary GM until he is back. There are a few reasons I give him this much time:1)This is HIS game, and I do not want to take over it. 2)He may have plans which I do not wish to ruin. 3)I can sympathise with his absense - I was away for 3 weeks myself, when my modem broke.

Worst scenario is that Warlock has been called to the Navy, which is what interrupted his previous roleplay: The Darklands. If this is the case, he might be away for some time.

Hope everyone can hold out until Sunday week Unless the Warlock comes back.[/OOC]

Jack, I am all for the reality check My guess is we will have to push ourselves to get back on track to the cliff ( dwarves Anvil!) out of yeti territory then settle ourselves in for a well deserved rest! Allowing ourselves time to recuperate! For now I suggest we find our barings and get the hell outta here!

IC: Aden began a slow trek to the north climbing the frozen mountain leading to this Dwarves Anvil. She peers behinder her to see if the others follow her she picks up some of the fresh fallen snow and placed on her warm fleshy tongue it quickly disolved into water refreshing her senses and sending a chill down her fury spine!

OOC: This Roleplay is on a temporary pause until the GM comes back. Quite simply because he no doubt has things planned that are going to surprise us all. Not to mention the fact that we have recently aquired a few items which need explaining by him. I don't think I'll even continue it on if he doesnt get back by this coming sunday.

OOC: Sorry for being away....work sent me away, no-notice, to a school and I have just returned. So, letÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s start by clearing up some of the confusion on some of the items in your possessions. Seraph, you will find that your magical blade is quite remarkable. You can mentally will it, once a day, to change into whatever type of blade you like (in appearance and size). Be careful of what you wish for, your thoughts on what you'd like to do must be exact or you may find some of the changes obscure. Important to know, is that the blade is sentinent, and if you become tired or exhausted physically, the blade will counter and attack on it's own to protect you. The blade will not allow you to become charmed or feared in any fashion during combat when it is equipped. Aside from the aforementioned, your blade can produce flames at a thought from you. Now, your Ogre Gauntlets give you 5x your original strength. This does add to your jumping and agility. BUT, keep in mind, these gauntlets enhance your muscles while leaving your bones the same. You could punch through a thin brick wall but you would break your hand in the process. Just an example. Same in your leaping from tree to tree with the enhanced power. One small miscalculation and you could break a leg or ankle due to the extreme stress your new muscle is putting on your normal bones. Your range with throwing weapons will increase considerably and with practice you will no doubt become just as proficient as you were without their aid. I am sure that after a couple of battles you will be back in tip top shape (evil smirk).

IC: As Tsurin regains his composure, he can mentally pull back all the images that had been running through his mind. The staff would obey him. The essence of someone or something still inhabited the relic. He could feel itÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s power and itÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s willingness to share this power. AdenÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s request breached his fascination and Tsurin heard himself agree to cover the groupÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s tracks. As he stood numbly to take care of the task a voice whispered in his mind. ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…â€œwhy not raise a war party to crush the yetti patrol..ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬? it seductively implied. Before Tsurin could answer that he didnÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢t have that sort of power, the spell and itÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s effects had materialized in his mind. He now knew the incantation to raise a score of undead warriors to do his bidding. The spell would allow him to issue one command and once this command was obeyed the party of undead would return to the underworld. Such power was now his to wield. The staff seemed to hold some knowledge of the dark arts it would seem. Tsurin completed his track covering and as the team began to move he still felt the staffÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢s strong urgings to create the undead squad. The team moves on for another four hours without incident. Around midnight, Bear calls a halt out to the team and lets everyone know they will be making camp. Once again, Bear looks to the group silently contemplating their situation. ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…â€œWe need to set up shifts for watches throughout the night. Two persons per shift. We will conduct two hour shifts. Who wants to go first?ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬? he asks as the group goes about setting up the campsite.

OOC: Seraph, as far as your testing of your new weapon and gauntlets go: You are able to summon and extinguish the flames at will. The blade has been mentally silent throughout the four hour hike. You have become accustom to your new strength and your marksmanship and weapons handling remains at an expert level. During the trek you all had a chance to refill your water skins and forage for fruit and berries. For future reference, you can hunt whenever you feel the need in your posts so we can minimize the importance of that aspect of the story. If I have missed any questions you may have please PM me and I will get you the remainder of those answers. Note that some things I may not choose to let you know. I can't give you all the possible twists to questions you may have. (anothe evil smirk). Enjoy and thanks for playing all.

Logged

"How is it that you claim me to be an assassin..(paused in thought)....have I killed you before?"\

Seraph, having slept for some six hours on the way up after having hunted and gathered ingredients, was more than happy to volunteer for the first watch. He was already cooking some potent acids to make them even more potent in a metal container designed for alchemical use. he was heating it using his flaming knife. It was a knife now. Specifically it was about two thirds the length of his forearm, curved, with a small section of serration a little ways up each side of the blade. The sides of the blade were intricately rusted in such a way that when pulling the blade out of a target, the flecks of rust would break off inside the victim along with the alchemical poisons trapped inside while still gliding into the victim with relative ease (especially now with his new strength)(OOC: I am guessing that the unknown material of this blade cannot change, but if it can then i would like that rust, to be mixed with silver).

Seraph also had a small metal container that held a few silver pieces inside itself, which, once he no longer needed heat to intensify his acids, would heat up until the silver peices were replaced with a liquid silver in the bottom of the container. He had several other ingrediants lying about as well which he was going to need in order to create a new, larger batch of silver extract to replace the old one.

The area around him was cluttered heavily with ingredients and the remains of food which he had been devouring, and was surrounded by a heavy, disagreeable smell, that was in no way subtle. Even at his distance from the others, which he had been sure to maintain, the smell was very strong.

He watched everybody even more cautiosly than before. Bear, the traitor, he watched for any subtle clues of dissention. Aden, the werewolf, he watched of any clues in a lack of stable temperment. His empathy for her had vanished with her transformation. He no longer spoe to her except out of extreme necessity. He knew what were-animals were capable of, and anger control was not one of them. She was already his enemy as far as he was concerned. A danger which, if the situation had been any different, would not have been tolerated.

Then there was Gerrard, who he could not trust. There was no telling how Gerrard was going to act if at any time he was given any power.

Then there was Tsurin, the heat mage. He had not taken his attention off of that spear since the moment he saw it. It was made only more evident by his, whether honest or deceptive, attempts to not pay attention to it. Serraph figured that something was wrong with the spear, and that Tsurin would betray them all the second his own willpower waned to that of whatever within that spear enraptured him. He was not to be trusted.

And who could say anything about tree. The only one who, to Serraph, was not on the verge of some act of murder or dominance.

Normally, four out of five traitors was the line where Serraph would split, but something held him to this cause. This quest.

So he would watch and wait, and he would be ready when they betrayed themselves....

Gerrard was ready to drop. The "Inner Demon" potion he had used was extremely physically and mentally draining. He was fine at any point while under its influence, but once he burned through it, he had better have a place to sleep. Whatever strength of will had kept him going to get farther away from the yettis was about to give, and there was nothing Gerrard could do to prevent it anymore. He couldn't even remember the last time he had slept. He shook his head and opened his eyes wide, trying to shake some of the sleep out. He motioned to Bear, showing his intent to be on last watch, and all but fell to the ground as he layed out his bedroll. He crawled inside and not even the cold, hard, rocky ground could prevent the almost instantaneous fall into sleep....

Much as he desired to keep watch and perhaps test his limits with this intriguing new staff, he knew he must gain some rest. Though at the moment he was full of adrenalin with the travelling and the portent of this new staff, He knew physically, his body would not cope much more exhertion. "I will take last watch, but for now, I need rest." That said, Tsurin took up a spot a little away, hugging the staff close to him. He, too thought on his group once more, a faint smile upon his lips.

To start, Bear. A resourceful man. He seemed suitable for much of the decision making - especially since he knows this area and what is going on perhaps better than the rest. Tree seemed little more than an able person. Since he did not talk, there was not much to like, or not to like about him. Then came Aden. Now a hulking were-creature. Tsurin thought the same of Aden as he did when they started this trek. He had learned a long time ago not to judge people by appearance - otherwise the resident rat-man of the group would have been held in a very careful eye by the mage. Speaking of Seraph, Tsurin had come to think of him as resourceful as well - always coming up with something to aid the group. Finally, came the hulking Gerard. Tsurin really ought to speak to him more often. He was perhaps the foggiest in the mages mind. Well, there was time for chat in the last watch, he supposed.

Tsurins thoughts eventually turned back onto the staff in his grasp. The staff appeared to be alive, to an extent. It had whispered crafts of necromatic spells which Tsurin - until now - had not even thought about casting. But the power was now within his grasp. A tinge of worry etched his mind as he pondered the use of such a dangerous, shrouded magic, but the easing whispers of the staff within his mind soon eased that crease away. He would not summon those skeletal warriors to hunt the yetis, but it would certainly be interesting to see what would happen should that hunting party catch up to them... He could redeem himself for not bieng part of the battle with the werewolf.

Aden was remained unfatigued " I offer to keep first watch with Seraph. My eyes though keen as an elf are now more equipped for a nocturnal watch. She grummbled in her now baritone voice. She noticed that two of her comrades had already collapsed from exhaustion so she asked bear, "Do you think we should chance a fire? I could gather wood. Bfore we set out I think it would be a good idea if some game was caught for food as well. we can worry about that after shifts though. We do not need to waste our reserve food while we can still gather it on our own. We know not what circumstances await us." She looks at distant patch of snow just to the left of Bears head still uncomfortable with meeting his eyes. She awaits her answers.

"You don't need to wait around" Seraph started. "you are a better hunter than anybody else here. Just sniff it out." Seraph replied to her comment.

Honestly, he was nervous about her taking watch with him. Not that he would not be nervous a bit with anybody else, but especially with her. He wanted her away from here where he could have a little distance and where she could concentrate on something other than him.

Of course he did not let any of that show. But the fact was, that there could not have been a worse candidate for the first watch in his opinion.

Though Aden was a little taken aback by his rash decision yeti's on thier track and he wants to take watch alone she responded, " If You are sure that you are comfortable watching the entire camp on your own, I will make haste and try and capture us some nourishment." Aden nodded to the ratman and turned and walked brusquely to the forest. She needed time to sort her thoughts anyway.

As Aden stalked off into the forest Bear watched her go with a pain in his heart. She was sweet for an elf and his heart did go out to her as it did for the rest of the band. He had demanded alot from them and they had done well with everything that had been thrown at them. He was troubled by the events that had unfolded over the past couple of days. There were alot of questions unanswered. What did Bizmak want with them. It seemed curious that he showed so much interest in the group. And the appearance of the werewolves and the gnome. What did it all have to do with their mission. It seemed the forces of darkness had set up multiple obstacles for group to negotiate before confronting them. But why slow them down. What did the demons fear from a group of five. And why couldn't he remember everything he needed to know. It had been hours since a single new part of the puzzle had become known to him. His inability to remember is what frustrated Bear the most. The gnome. It seemed familiar. Bear just couldn't put his finger on it and decided to get some rest until his watch. Bear and Tree would take the second watch. Meanwhile.....As Aden stalked away from the camp, a set of eyes far different from Bear's watched her go. This pair of eyes followed her a good distance away from the camp and then allowed her to smell it downwind. As Aden recognizes the smell she immediately sees Lyrid sitting on a downed tree trunk up the game trail she was currently traveling on. He smiled at her revealing his sharp canines. "approach dear, I mean you know harm. Afterall, what father would hurt his child?" he cackled and made no move to stand. Next to him on the ground, was a massive stag that had just been killed. The dead carcuss remained fully intact and prostrated before the great wolf lord. "Your curious as to how I have managed to return so close to your encampment. Well, lets just say, the gnome dropped me off a great distance away and I have run for three hours straight to return to you and your band of heroes. There are things you do not understand in the scheme of this campaign. Things that will get you all killed in the end. For starters, the gnome is not what it appears to be. I know it's true form and identity and will share this knowledge with you and you alone...if....you promise to meet with me once each night during your shift to guard your group's encampment. At these times we will talk and I will give you information. " He puts his hand up to stop her questions. "Do not ask why I do this after trying not hours ago to slaughter your entire group. My motives are my own to keep. I do what I do because I must. I do what I do because I wish too. Enough talk, take the stag and use it if you will. Meet me tomorrow night if you wish more information. And Aden....(pause)....tell no one of our meeting. I will be watching....and listening. To betray me in this, will result in forfieture of all knowledge I have to offer. This includes all incites on what you have become and how to manage with the new power I have bestowed on you. Think on this, should you choose to reveal our "secret" meetings." After the last is spoken he disappears into the thick, dark forest leaving Aden in a state of confusion and wonder. Meanwhile.....As Nobody sits on his watch his blade once again begins to whisper to him. "You will be betrayed master. Trust no one. You could, slit all of their throats as they sleep....finish the she-wolf when she gets back....we could do it...do not trust the mage...his relic is evil..it will corrupt the mages soul and turn him against you...kill him now as he sleeps...yes, you are right master, perhaps we should wait and see what transpires...I will be alert while you sleep..always watching out for you...my master shall be warned of wrong doings......." and then the blade fell silent once again. Meanwhile.....Tsurin hears a mental intrusion while he sleeps. It comes to him more like a dream and he will remember it when he awakens. "The blade speaks to the rat my master....it fills his head with treachery...he will attempt to take someone's life soon enough...you must warn the guardian....." The dream will continue to replay in his mind until he wakes up. OOC: The first shift will end uneventful with the exceptions of what is written above. I will wait for Aden and Seraph to post again before I continue. Enjoy and thanks for playing.

Logged

"How is it that you claim me to be an assassin..(paused in thought)....have I killed you before?"\

Aden silently plays this out in her mind. It is true he had the information that she needed.... " You have my intrest and my curiosity but not my mind nor my heart... as long as my chioces are my own will keep your secret werewolf I will learn what I can and discover the rest." She sniffed the meat it was untainted and fresh. grabbing it with her claws she began to stalk back to the slumbering camp picking what few herbs she could on her way. She began to think out loud... "They all trust me, except seraph, I will not fail them I will use what ever abilities I have to thier benifit and not my own. Seraph no longer trusts me I can smell his disdain. I will have to keep watch on him. He is no longer trustworthy I fear."